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BRACONASH.

Braccas, Braccles, Brakene, commonly called Braconash,
signifies the Broad-leas, and was part of the possessions of Roger
Bigot at the Conquest; (fn. 1) one part he gave to Olf the Dane, who
joined it to Flordon manor, and that contained 98 acres; all the rest
either belonged to, or else was infeoffed by him, in the Peverells,
in which family it continued, and passed with Peverel's manor in Great
Melton, as may be seen at large at p. 18, and was held of the honour
of Peverel, as that was, at one fee; and in 1250, Hugh Peverel had a
charter for free-warren here; and in 1285, the assize of bread and ale
of all his tenants in Brakene, allowed him in Eire, and lete also, paying
6d. per annum to the hundred court; and Robert de Tateshall and the
Prior of Wimondham, (fn. 2) owned lands here, and had the same liberty
allowed their tenants, and the manor was then valued at 6l. 2s. 11d.
rents. He claimed intercommonage on the green and commons of
Mulbarton (which contained 63 acres) for all his tenants of Brakene;
but in 1291, was cast in his action, and the common allotted to Mulbarton tenants only. In 1362, it was severed from Melton, for then
Sir Robert de Bayhouse, Knt. and Maud his wife, sold it to Bartholomew Appleyerd, and settled it on William Asger and John Page,
senior, for the use of the said Bartholomew and his heirs; he was descended from Ric. son of Will. de Applegart of Dunham in Norfolk,
who lived in King Stephen's time; this Bartholomew was a citizen of
Norwich, who raised a good estate, and one of the bailiffs of the city
in 1372, and one of their burgesses in parliament in 1374, and 1412.
He was a benefactor to St. Andrew's church in Norwich, (fn. 3) where he was
buried, and was succeeded by William his eldest son, who was a man
of principal figure and fortune in the city, long before his father's
death, being nine times burgess in parliament; (fn. 4)bailiff of the city in
1386 and 1395; first mayor thereof in 1403, which office he served
five times more, in the years 1404, 5, 11, 12, and 18. In 1402, he was
escheator of Norfolk, and died in 1419, leaving issue by Margaret his
wife, Nicholas Appleyerd, Esq. bisson and heir, then 25 years old,
who married Margaret Thornbury of London, who survived him; he
was succeeded by John Appleyerd of Brakene, (fn. 5) his son and heir, who
settled here, and built Brakene-hall, (which is now demolished, and
was a very large building,) and at his death in 1473, left it to Nic.
Appleyard of Brakene, Esq. his son and heir, who married Agnes,
daughter and heiress of William Rookwood of Warham, and Alice his
wife, with whom he had the manors of Hales-Hall in Warham, Hales
manor in Holt and Testerton, and Netlestede in Suffolk, with a good
estate in lands and money: the year after his father's death, he was
summoned to take upon him the order of knighthood, and upon his
refusal, was convened before the privy council, and upon his petition
to be dismissed, he sets forth, "that he was not possessed of lands and
tenements to the yearly value of 40l. by the space of three years,
before the King's warrant with proclamation, was awarded against
him," upon which he was excused till the three years expired, and
then he was knighted; he died July 11, 1511: his son John died without issue, and Roger Appleyard of Brakene, Esq. inherited, as son and
heir; he married Elizabeth, daughter of John Scott of Camberwell in
Surrey, relict of Sir John Robesart of Sidisterne in Norfolk, Knt. and
died July 8, 1528, leaving John Appleyard his son and heir, not then
two years old; and by his will, ordered to be buried in the Gray-friars church in Norwich; he gave to this church, his vestment of blue
sarcenet, and his gilt image that belonged to his chapel, and a legacy
to build a church porch; and to Eliz. his wife for life, his manors of
Stanfield in Windham, Newton-Flotman, Hethill and Keteringham; and
200l. to each of his daughters, Frances and Brigit, to be raised out of
his manors of Hales in Warham, Holt-Hales, and Testerton-Hales;
Bygrave manor and advowson in Hertfordshire, to raise money for
marriage of his sister Mary; and East-Carleton manor was settled for
other uses. John Appleyerd of Brakene, Esq. his son, succeeded;
he was high-sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1558, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Hogan of East-Bradenham in Norfolk,
Gent. who, jointly with Thomas Hogan, her brother and trustee, levied
a fine in 1569, in order to sell part of the estate; and soon after, sold
this manor and advowson, to Tho. Townesend, senior, Esq. son of
Henry Townesend, the youngest son of Sir Robert Townesend of Reynham, Knt. and in 1599, it was purchased by Sir Edwyn Rich, Knt.
by whom it was sold in 1622, to Robert Woode of Brakene, Esq.
and his heirs; he was son of Robert Wood, mayor of Norwich, who
was knighted by Queen Eliz in 1578; by Anne his wife, 3d daughter
of Augustine Steward, Esq. and married Eliz. daughter and coheir of
John Woolmer of Tharston, Esq. on whom this manor was settled;
Robert Wood, their son and heir, inherited, who lies buried by his
wife in the chancel here, under a stone having the arms of Wood and
Richardson impaled, and this inscription,

Here lyeth the Body of Robert Woode of Braconash in the
County of Norfolk Esq; eldest son of Robert Woode Esq; and
Anne his Wife, one of the Daughters of John Woolmer of Tharston
in the County of Norfolk Esq; he married a Daughter of Sir
Thomas Richardson, Lord Chief Justice of both Benches, by whom
he had five Sons and four Daughters, of whom three Sons and one
Daughter survived him; he was born Aug. 4, 1601, died Dec. 31, 1680.

There is another stone for her, with the same arms impaled, and
this,

Here lieth interred the Body of Eliz. the 3d. Daughter of Sir
Thomas Richardson Knt. Lord Cheif Justice of both Benches,
Wife of Rob. Woode of Braconash Esq; she departed this Life
the 13th of July 1655, being aged 48 Years, and leaving him three
Sons and two Daughters.

Their Son Thomas inherited, and is buried by his father and
mother; the arms of Woode impaling Peyton, sab. a cross ingrailed
or, are on his stone, and this inscription,

THOMAS WOODE, the eldest Son of ROBERT WOODE,
by Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir Thomas Richardson; he had two
Wives, Eliz. his first Wife was Daughter of Anthony Penning Esq;
of Little-Badow in the County of Essex, by whom he had one Son
and one Daughter. His second Wife was Anne Daughter of Tho.
Peyton Esq; of Rougham in the County of Norfolk, by whom he
had one Son and six Daughters, of whom one Son and two
Daughters were living when he died; he was born Aug. 24, 1626,
and departed this Life Dec. the 2d, 1699. Requiescant in Pace.

Eliz. late wife to Tho. Woode of Braconash, Gent. and daughter of
Anthony Penning in the county of Essex, Esq. died Nov. 25, 1662.

Thomas Woode, Esq. of Braconash, son of the aforesaid Thomas,
is now lord and patron; he married first, Ellen, daughter of Tho.
Eyre, Esq. and lies buried in this chancel, with the arms of Woode
impaling Eyre, arg. on a chevron sab. three caterfoils or. Crest, a
martlet volant, with an olive branch in his mouth; and this,

Here lyeth the Body of Ellen the Wife of Thomas Woode
of Bracon Esq. and Daughter of Thomas Eyre of Harsop in Derbyshire Esquire, by a third Daughter of Sir Henry Bedingfield, who
died 20 Aug. 1712, aged 27 Years.

Worthy of a longer Life, more worthy of eternal; so adorned
with bright Endowments of Nature, so graced with Vertues, that it
may be a Question, whither those more embellished the Woman, or
these the Christian, prudent beyond her Age, of so early and constant Piety, that it grew up with Reason, and survived it; so
obliging, that she knew not how to disoblige; so far from Pride,
that Humility seem'd not an acquir'd Vertue, but an innate Perfection; of so discreet, and yet of so engaging Behaviour, that she
equally gain'd the Esteem and Love of All: So dutifull a Wife, that
while she wanted no Pattern to coppy after, she might justly be an
illustrious Pattern of conjugal Love and Behaviour. Thus ripe for
Heaven, she dyed on Earth, that she may never cease to live above,
where her ardent and swift Desires had already fixed her Heart.

Which may the King of Heaven's large Estate,
Into immortal Happiness compleat,
That what on Earth her Vertues have begun,
May through Eternitie's Dimensions run.

Mr. Thomas Woode, their son, died July 8, 1746, and was buried
here; he married Mary daughter of Hen. Bedingfield of Coulsey
Wood in Stoke Ash in Suffolk, Esq. by Mary daughter of William
Havers of Thelton, Esq. but left no issue. (See vol. i. p. 151.)

His second wife was Eliz. daughter of Edward Heath, Esq. who
is buried here also, with the arms of Woode impaling Heath, arg.
a cross ingrailed between twelve billets gul. and this,

The arms of Woode are, per pale A. S. on a chevron between
three martlets, as many trefoils, all counterchanged. Crest, a martlet sab. its wings expanded, the right or, the left arg.

There are other stones in the chancel for, Edmund, son of Robert
Woode, Esq. Oct. 4, 1616. Eliz. eldest daughter of Robert Woode,
Esq. and Eliz. his wife, Dr. of Sir Thomas Richardson Knt. 1649, æt.
9 Years and 7 Months. There is an altar tomb under the south chancel
wall in the yard, for Philip 3d son of Robert Woode of Therston, Esq.
July 8, 1668.

Peyton impales Yelverton. Here lieth the Body of Thomas
Peyton, younger Son of Sir Edward Peyton Bart of Isleham
in Cambridgeshire, by his second wife Jane, the Daughter of Sir
James Calthorp of Basham in the County of Norfolk, widow
of Edmund Thimblethorp; he had two wives, his first wife was the
Daughter of Sir Will. Yelverton of Rougham in the county of
Norfolk, who by the Death of Sir Will. Yelverton her Brother,
without Issue, had Rougham for her Inheritance; she left 4 Sons
and one Daughter. His second wife was the widow Hacon, by
whom he had no Children. He was born 1616, and died Oct.
12, 1683. Requiescat in Pace.

Weld, arg. a fess nebulé between three crescents er. impaling
Gascoign, arg. on a pale sab. a luce's head erected and cooped or,
being the arms of Eliz. his wife, daughter of Gascoign of Illington.
(See vol. i. p. 449.)

Joseph Weld, son and heir of Gascoign Weld, æt. 13, Ao. 1664, was
alive and lived here. Eliz. his sister lies buried here with the arms of
Rutter, gul. three garbs in chief a lion passant arg. impaling Weld.

Here lieth the body of Eliz. Rutter widow, late the Wife of
Richard Rutter Esq; of Kingsley in Cheshire, who was daughter of
Gascoigne Weld late of Braconash Esq. who departed this Life the
4th of Dec 1714, æt. 69. The Remains of Phillip the wife of Gascoign Weld Esq; Daughter of Phillip Calthorp Esq; Aug. 4, 1704,
72. Barbara Weld ob. æt. 18, 1690.

There was a good estate here purchased by John Weld in 1618, and
much added to it in 1620, by Mat. Weld. All this family are interred
in the south isle. Alderman Edward Weld, who died in 1746, and is
buried at Cawston in Norfolk, was of this family. (See vol. iii. p. 451.)

The church is 36 feet long, and 18 broad, and the chancel is 33
feet long and 16 broad; the south isle is 36 feet long and six wide;
there is no steeple, but one bell hanging in a shed at the south-east
corner of the churchyard; the nave, isle, chancel, and north porch,
are all tiled. In the chancel windows are the arms of the East-Angles,
and England; and in the yard at the east end of the south isle, is a
memorial fixed for Thomas Corbould, who died in 1709, aged 78, and
Eliz. his loving wife, 1713, 74.

Sir Hugh Peverel was patron here when Norwich Domsday was
made, and then the rector had a house and 55 acres of land, and now
there is a house and 64 acres and two roods of glebe; it was first
valued at 15, after at 21 marks; it paid 2s. synodals, 6s. 8d. procurations, 18d. Peter-pence, and carvage 3d. and there was a Gild
held in the church, called our Lady's gild. It now stands in the
King's Books by the name of Barknash R. (alias Brakenash,) is
valued at 10l. pays first fruits, and 1l. yearly tenths, and being undischarged, is not capable of augmentation.

Rectors of Brakenash.

1322, Master Tho. de Morle. Sir Hugh Peverel, Knt.

1335, Nic. de Lymburgh. Ditto.

1349, Roger Mondegome. Ditto. Buried in the chancel in 1372,
succeeded by

Richard Waddelowe, who held it united to Wilby; (see vol. i.
p. 367;) he was succeeded by

Thomas Tennison, who in 1662, resigned it to

John Tennison, S. T. B. on whose death in

1671, Roger Stanhawe had it; both which, had it of the gift of
Rob. Woode, Esq. (see vol. iv. p. 459.) In 1683, on Stanhaw's
death, Tho. Woode, Esq. presented

Will. Bedingfield, A. M. who quitted Ashwelthorp, and had
this united to Wrenningham, with Nelonde; he is buried in the chancel, on the north wall of which, a mural monument adorned with
Bedingfield's arms, and Woode impaled, hath this inscribed
thereon: